Even when we find ourselves in places of lack or discomfort, it is important to remember that God sometimes leads us into challenging situations not to harm us, but to teach us to trust Him more deeply. The Israelites were led by God into a desert with no water, a place where their need was real and urgent, yet God was present and had a plan to provide. When we face our own “wilderness” moments, we are invited to look beyond the immediate problem and trust that God is with us, working for our good even when we cannot see the way forward. [25:31]
Exodus 17:1-7 (ESV)
1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Reflection: When have you faced a situation that felt hopeless or unfair, and how might you look for God’s presence and provision in that place today?
It is easy to forget all the ways God has provided for us in the past when we are confronted with a new problem. The Israelites had seen miracles—deliverance from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, daily manna—yet in their thirst, they forgot God’s faithfulness and focused only on their immediate need. We, too, can suffer from “biblical amnesia,” losing sight of God’s past goodness when new challenges arise. Let us be intentional about remembering and recounting God’s faithfulness, so that our trust in Him grows stronger with each trial. [26:08]
Psalm 103:2 (ESV)
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
Reflection: What is one specific way God has provided for you in the past that you can remember and give thanks for today?
When Moses was overwhelmed by the people’s complaints and his own inability to solve the problem, he did the most important thing—he cried out to the Lord. Instead of focusing on his own limitations or the pressure from others, Moses turned to God, who alone could provide a solution. In our own lives, we are invited to bring our needs, anxieties, and frustrations directly to God, trusting that He hears us and is able to do what we cannot. [22:28]
Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Reflection: What is one worry or need you are carrying right now that you can honestly bring before God in prayer today?
God often provides in ways that are unexpected and beyond our understanding, so that it is clear He alone deserves the credit. When water came from the rock, it was not by human ingenuity but by God’s miraculous power. In our own challenges, we may be tempted to focus on our own solutions or become discouraged by obstacles, but God is able to make a way where there seems to be no way. Trusting Him means believing He can do more than we ask or imagine, even when we cannot see how. [24:20]
Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
Reflection: Where in your life do you need to stop relying on your own solutions and trust God to make a way?
No matter what we face—trials, hardships, uncertainty, or even our own doubts—nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. God is for us, working all things together for our good, and His love is steadfast and unbreakable. Even when we feel alone or overwhelmed, we can rest in the assurance that God’s presence and love remain with us, sustaining us through every circumstance. [31:10]
Romans 8:28, 31, 35, 37-39 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to be reminded today that God’s love for you is unshakeable and nothing can separate you from Him?
This is the day the Lord has made, and we gather with grateful hearts, recognizing His faithfulness in every season. As we celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and testimonies of healing, we are reminded that every blessing and every breath is a gift from God. Even as we face challenges—like waiting for repairs, health concerns, or the burdens of daily life—we are called to remember that God is our provider, sustainer, and the One who cares for us better than we could ever care for ourselves.
Turning to Exodus 17, we see the Israelites in a place of real need: no water in the desert. Their thirst was legitimate, and their fear understandable. Yet, instead of turning to God, they quarreled with Moses and lost sight of all the miracles God had already performed for them. It’s easy to judge them, but how often do we do the same? When discomfort or crisis comes, we focus so narrowly on the problem that we forget God’s past faithfulness and present power.
Moses, feeling the weight of the people’s complaints, did the right thing—he cried out to God. God responded not only by providing water from a rock, but by doing so in a way that made it clear only He could receive the glory. Sometimes God leads us into places of lack or discomfort, not to harm us, but to deepen our trust and remind us that He alone is our source. Our tendency is to blame circumstances, others, or even the enemy, but sometimes God Himself leads us into these places to show us His sufficiency.
Romans 8 reminds us that in all things—good or bad—God is working for our good. If God is for us, who can be against us? Nothing can separate us from His love, not hardship, not loss, not uncertainty. We are more than conquerors through Christ, and He is always interceding for us. Our challenge is to remember, even in the midst of trials, that God will make a way. Our focus must remain on Him, not on the obstacles before us. He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or think.
Exodus 17:1-7 (ESV) — 1 All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink.
2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”
3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”
4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.
6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”
Romans 8:28, 31-39 (ESV) — 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
...
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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